Like most websites Airliner World uses cookies. We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you continue without changing your settings, we'll assume that you are happy to receive all cookies on Airliner World website. However, if you would like to, you can change your cookie settings at any time. Find out more

The latest addition to the Air New Zealand fleet has touched down in Auckland for the first time. The A321neo, registered ZK-NNA (c/n 8496) landed just before 10.30pm local time following a mammoth ferry flight from the Airbus Delivery Centre in Hamburg. The narrowbody carried nine staff and made refuelling stops in Oman, Kuala Lumpur and Cairns over four days before arriving in New Zealand’s largest city.

The jet – painted in Air New Zealand’s distinctive black and white livery – is the first of 13 neo aircraft to join the fleet before the end of 2019, with six A320neos and seven A321neos on their way to the Kiwi flag carrier. A separate longer-term order for a further seven A321neos has also been earmarked for the airline’s domestic network with deliveries due from 2020 to 2024.

The new A321s will primarily be used on short-haul international sectors, with flight NZ739 from Auckland to Brisbane on November 23 expected to be the first commercial service for the new aircraft.

Air New Zealand’s neos are equipped with Pratt & Whitney PW1100G engines which the manufacturer says are quieter and more fuel efficient than the previous examples, while the carrier has opted for a single-class configuration for the new A321, with 214 seats. A seat map of the new aircraft can be viewed here.

A second A321neo is expected to arrive in Auckland “in the coming weeks”, with the new fleet eventually replacing the carrier’s current generation A320 aircraft, which currently ply busy trans-Tasman and Pacific Island routes.

Current Issue

February 2019In the February edition of Airliner World we travel to Larnaca in Cyprus to join the final commercial flight for the British Airways Boeing 767 fleet. The widebody has been a workhorse of the British flag carrier for decades, with a fascinating history spanning far-flung royal charters to more modest domestic operations. As we close one chapter of modern aviation, another begins as we visit Airbus headquarters in Toulouse to find out more about their A330neo project. We speak to key players involved in the project and determine what the future holds for the crowded - but highly lucrative - mid-market sector.
Don’t miss our exclusive interview with Gulf Air CEO Krešimir Ku&#269;ko, as the Bahraini national airline transforms not only its fleet but its wider strategy as it adopts a new boutique concept. Continuing our globetrotting this month, we profile Osaka’s Itami Airport, which is carving a niche as the city’s premier domestic gateway and visit Canada’s Northwest Territories to learn more about the classic ‘piston-pounders’ of Buffalo Airways. As part of our ongoing historical insights, we remember the Lockheed Electra L-188, an elegant, four-engine turboprop which raised the bar for performance, range and luxury until critical design flaws destroyed public confidence and forced the programme to a premature close.
Finally, we bring you our comprehensive coverage of worldwide news, including a full report from the Bahrain International Airshow, plus Cathay Pacific roster their A350-1000 to Manchester, ANA receive their first superjumbo, a first look at WestJet’s new Dreamliner, and Air Astana unveil their Embraer E2 in a striking snow leopard livery. We also have our regular sections covering the latest commercial aircraft acquisitions, up-to-date accident reports and developments from the world of aviation training and MROs and we give you the chance to win aviation DVDs worth over £200 in our reader competition.